Last updated: October 15, 2026. Prices are our listed prices on that date; tax and fee figures come from the Texas Comptroller, TxDMV and the Harris County Tax Office (sources at the end). General information, not tax or legal advice.
Key takeaways
- At our Houston lot, a standard-cab kei truck is listed from $6,999.99, a Hijet Jumbo extended cab from $7,499.99 and a kei dump truck from $7,999.99. Most of our kei trucks fall between $6,999.99 and $8,000.
- Across Texas in October 2026, dealer listings for 1995–2001 kei trucks run from about $6,500 to $15,000, with most between $8,500 and $11,000.
- Texas adds 6.25% sales tax plus roughly $108 in title, registration and county fees: about $608.50 on a $7,999.99 truck in Harris County.
- Delivery within Texas from Houston is quoted at roughly $165–$750 by open carriers; pickup at the lot is free.
- A $6,999.99 truck financed over 60 months at 10.99% APR works out to about $152 a month.
What a kei truck costs at our Houston lot
We import kei trucks, vans and SUVs directly from Japan and sell them from our lot at 6100 Harvey Wilson Dr in east Houston. Our prices are the same whether a truck is already in Houston or still on a ship to the Port of Houston, and they are the price of the vehicle; sales tax, title and registration are paid at your county tax office. These were our standard prices on October 15, 2026; a truck with very low mileage or a rare version can be priced higher, and every listing shows its own price.
| Vehicle | Our price from | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Kei truck, standard cab (2WD or 4x4) | $6,999.99 | Daihatsu Hijet, Suzuki Carry, Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar |
| Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo (extended cab) | $7,499.99 | 2WD and 4x4, manual and automatic |
| Kei dump truck (tipping bed) | $7,999.99 | Hijet, Carry and Sambar dumps |
| Kei van | $7,499.99 | Acty, Hijet, Atrai, Sambar Dias |
| Kei SUV | $4,999 to $7,999.99 | Suzuki Jimny, Pajero Mini, Honda Z |
| Larger JDM SUV or 4x4 | $9,499.99 | Pajero, Bighorn, X-Trail, CR-V |
Vehicles marked In Houston can be bought outright; vehicles marked In Transit can be reserved with a $1,000 deposit that counts toward the price, with the balance due when the truck lands. See how buying works.
What the rest of the Texas market charges
Kei truck prices have roughly doubled in ten years. NPR reported in 2025 that a truck that "used to be about $5,000" now sells closer to $10,000, and that demand has not slowed. In October 2026, the other Texas dealers we track list 1995–2001 kei trucks from about $6,500 up to $15,000, with most trucks between $8,500 and $11,000; low-mileage or fully reconditioned trucks on lots in Virginia, Texas and Ohio sit at $11,000–$14,000, according to carmanji's mid-2026 market update. Brand-new kei trucks sold in the U.S. as off-road vehicles cost $24,000–$31,000, which is a different product with different rules.
Our prices are at the low end of that range because we import in full containers, unload them at our own yard and sell the trucks as they arrive, as is, with their import paperwork. We don't recondition them or title them for you, and the price reflects that. If you want a truck that has been through a shop and comes with a Texas title in your name, expect to pay several thousand dollars more for it elsewhere.
Why an $800 auction truck sells for $7,000 here
The trucks themselves are cheap in Japan. An analysis of 1,948 kei truck sales at Japanese auctions in 2026 found a median hammer price of about ¥124,000, roughly $810. Almost everything else in the retail price is the cost of getting a 25-year-old truck from a Japanese auction yard to a lot in Houston:
- Auction fees, inland transport in Japan, export deregistration and the export certificate
- Ocean freight in a shared container to the Port of Houston, plus marine insurance
- U.S. customs entry, the DOT HS-7 and EPA 3520-1 declarations, port and drayage charges
- Unloading, yard storage and the time between buying the truck and selling it
- The importer's margin
That is also why a kei truck is cheaper to buy here than to import yourself one at a time: a single truck pays the fixed costs alone.
Tax, title and registration in Texas
Since 2025, Texas titles and registers kei trucks as "miniature vehicles" (Senate Bill 1816). Because we are not a licensed dealer, you pay the motor vehicle sales tax and fees at your county tax office when you apply for the title, within 30 days of buying. This is the Harris County example from our Texas title and registration guide:
| Item | On a $7,999.99 truck |
|---|---|
| Motor vehicle sales tax, 6.25% | $500.00 |
| Title application fee ($28 or $33 by county) | $33.00 |
| State registration ($50.75 + $1 insurance verification) | $51.75 |
| Harris County local fees | $11.50 |
| Processing and handling fee | $4.75 |
| Inspection program replacement fee (there is no safety inspection) | $7.50 |
| Emissions test (not required at 25 years or older) | $0 |
| Total | About $608.50 |
Three things can move that number. County local fees range from $10 to $21.50 across the big Texas counties. If the truck has no standard presumptive value in the state's system, the county may ask for a certified appraisal before it calculates the tax. And an imported truck needs a VTR-68-A VIN inspection by a police auto theft unit, which some agencies do for free and some charge a small fee for. The guide lists the Houston-area inspection sites and what to do if a county office pushes back.
Delivery from Houston
Pickup at our lot is free, and most Houston-area buyers trailer the truck home or have us arrange a carrier, because a kei truck can't be driven on public roads until it is titled and registered. For the rest of Texas we can help arrange an open carrier; you pay the carrier directly. These are published estimates for a running kei truck, which carriers price like a small car or pickup:
| Houston to | Distance | Published estimates (open carrier, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas–Fort Worth | about 240–265 miles | $195–$750, usually 1–2 days |
| Austin | about 165 miles | $165–$700, usually 1–2 days |
| San Antonio | about 200 miles | $195–$750, usually 1–2 days |
Enclosed transport adds roughly 30–50%, and a truck that doesn't run costs an extra $150–$300 for a winch load. Shipping anywhere else in the mainland United States is priced by ZIP code; call or text (713) 385-9798 for a quote.
Financing: what a $7,000 truck costs per month
We don't offer in-house financing, and a 25-year-old import without a 17-digit VIN doesn't fit a normal auto loan. Most of our buyers who finance use LightStream, an unsecured personal loan from Truist Bank: the money lands in your account and you pay us as a cash buyer, with no lien and no title paperwork. As an illustration only, a $6,999.99 truck financed over 60 months at 10.99% APR is about $152.16 a month, or $9,129.71 in total payments. Rates depend on your credit, and loans start at $5,000. Our financing page has a payment estimator and the steps.
What to budget after you buy
- Insurance. Texas requires at least 30/60/25 liability coverage to register. Give your insurer the full chassis number and tell them it is a 25-year-or-older Japanese import; premiums are usually modest for a vehicle in this price range, but get a quote before you buy.
- First service. Every truck we sell is as is. Unless there is a record of it, plan on a timing belt (all four common kei truck engines use one, except the later Suzuki K6A), fresh brake fluid, coolant and oil, and a look at the tires. At an independent shop this is usually a few hundred dollars in parts and labor, and it is the best money you will spend on the truck.
- Fuel. Owners and importers commonly quote 35–45 mpg from the 660cc engines; real-world figures depend on load and speed.
- Parts. Wear parts are inexpensive and widely available from U.S. kei truck parts specialists; most consumables are shared across several model years.
The total: a worked example
A $7,999.99 kei truck bought at our lot by a Harris County buyer who trailers it home:
- Truck: $7,999.99
- Texas sales tax, title, registration and county fees: about $608.50
- Delivery: $0 (pickup) or $165–$750 within Texas by carrier
- First service budget: a few hundred dollars
That puts a registered, serviced kei truck at roughly $9,000 on the road, or a little more with delivery, against $16,000–$30,000 for a new side-by-side and around $40,000 for a new half-ton pickup. Our kei truck vs. UTV guide goes through that comparison for Texas ranch work.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a kei truck in Houston?
At Skyline Kei Trucks a standard-cab kei truck is listed from $6,999.99, a Hijet Jumbo from $7,499.99 and a kei dump truck from $7,999.99 (October 2026). Every listing shows its own price.
Do your prices include tax, title and registration?
No. We are not a licensed dealer, so you pay the 6.25% Texas sales tax and the title and registration fees at your county tax office: about $608.50 on a $7,999.99 truck in Harris County.
Why are kei trucks so cheap compared with a new pickup?
They were inexpensive work trucks in Japan, they are 25 years old, and the median auction price there is well under $1,000. The U.S. retail price is mostly the cost of shipping, customs and handling, plus the importer's margin.
Is it cheaper to import a kei truck myself?
Rarely for one truck. The auction fees, Japan-side transport, ocean freight, customs entry and port charges are mostly fixed costs that an importer spreads across a container of vehicles.
Can I negotiate the price?
Our prices are fixed and the same for every buyer. What you can do is inspect and test drive any truck that is in Houston before you pay, or have your own mechanic look at it.
Written by Farhad Musazada, Skyline Kei Trucks.
Sources: Texas Comptroller, motor vehicle sales and use tax · TxDMV registration fee chart, 2026 · Harris County Tax Office FAQ · Carmanji, kei truck auction prices, fall 2026 · Carmanji, kei truck market mid-2026 · NPR, May 2025 · carrier estimates from our city pages (checked October 2026).
Ready to look? Browse kei trucks for sale in Houston, see what is arriving soon, or read the kei truck buyer's guide.